Awning construction



Oct. 2, 1951 w, TQNEY 2,569,621

AWNING CONSTRUCTION Filed Aug. 12, 1948 INVENTOR. fiizg 7mg Patented Oct. 2, 1951 NT f OFFl CE AWNING CONSTRUCTION Henry W. Toney,-Niles, Mich., assignor to The Kawneer Company, Niles, Mich a corporation of. Michigan Application August 12, 1948; Serial-No. 43,869

3 Claims. (Cl. 160235.)

.1. The present invention relates to metal, awnings .formed of a curtain of articulated metal :slats joined to each other by hinged edges and has particular reference to structures wherein the hinged portions extend along the entire :length-of each slat.

- The primary object of the invention is the provision of improved means for maintaining the individual slats in alignment with each other to avoid accidental longitudinal displacementof the individual slats with respect to each other; yet to accomplish this purpose without detracting from the appearance of the awning norlessening its strength, and without allowing water leakage.

This has heretofore been a perplexing problem in the art, sincerthe whipping action of the wind or misalignment of the awning hanger tend to cause the slats to move with respect to each other, yet the provision of guides or tapes to secure them together is'not'only costly, but ordinarily interferes with the proper functioning :of the awning somuch as to render these expedients impractical. In short, any of the solutions to this problem previously proposed have been somewhat less than satisfactory,-either by reason of excessive costs of production, unsatisfactory notch, wherein the notch is formed on the under.

side of ther'olledfedge of the up'pier slat, so when the slats are united the. notch is on the inside portion of the coiled hinge, and substantially concealed from view. Thus the presence of the notch, and of the "key that interlocks with it, will not detract from the appearance of the awning.

The provision ofan interlocking notch and projection or key as here disclosed also is efiective to permit unrestricted-angular movement of the adjacent slats within a wide range, so that the pivoted movements of the adjacent slats will have no tendency to damage the projection and notch by which the adjacent slats are interlocked.

Another specific object of the invention is the provision of an articulated awning including 2 .rolled hinge edges on the adjacent slats with a key .and slot, connection to vprevent relative longitudinal displacement wherein the point of engagement between the key and notch is closely adjacent the base of the key where its strength is greatest. This not only permits .the use of a relatively short key for the purpose, but avoids any tendency to flex or break the key. The present preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the, drawings of this specification, wherein: V I

. Fig. 1 is a perspective view, of .an articulated awning constructed in accordance with these teachings;

Fig. 2 is a detail sectional view, taken on the plane of'the line 2-2, of Fig. l and showing the interlocking hinge connection between two adjacent slats.

.Fig. .3 isanedge View of the lower edge of one of the slats, showing thegeneral proportions of the interlocking notch formed therein.

The awning, according to these teachings, includes a multiplicity of. identical narrow slats 10 each interlocked to the adjacent slat above and below it by ahinged structure generally indicated at H and consisting. of a downwardly, rearwardly upper edge of each slat. v, The awning is ordinarily provided with a reel [4 on which it maybe rolled up, and preferably has a. rigid front rail I5 supported .on suitable brackets (not shown) to hold theawningin extended. position. As thus far described, it will be. clear that th diiferentslats. ofthe awning are capable of free hinging movement between themselves, so that the awning may be .rolled .on the reel I4 or extended into the, position. shown. I Experience in themanufacture and use of awnings of this type has disclosed, however, that one of the serious problems to be overcome in the provision of commercially acceptable awnings is the tendency of the individual. slats to shift longitudinally with respect .to each other and thus move into a position of misalignment whichdetracts from the appearance of the awning andinterferes with its proper operation. To overcome this difficulty the present disclosure provides a notch It on the lower half of the rolled edge I2 at the 1ower edge of each of the slats, and a locking key or tongue I'l extending upwardly from the metal of each slat near its upper edge. The tongue I I engages between the opposite faces I8 and IQ of the slot l 6 (Fig. 3) so that relative longitudinal movement between the adjacent slats is prevented. It is to be noted, however, that the slot I6 is on the inside coil of the hinge and substantially concealed from view, so that it is not conspicuous and does not materially alter the appearance of the awning from the upper side. Since this notch occupies only the lower half of the rolled edge, the individual slats are each imperforate to the extreme edge, so that water will not pass through the curtain. It is also to be noted that the outside coil l3 of the rolled edge is continuous and uninterrupted throughout the entire length of the slat, so that this coil encloses and conceals the under portion of the notch. The tongue I! is pierced from the metal of the slat near the rolled coil 13 but spaced from its edge,

and bent upwardly into the notch; but it is to be noted that the point of engagement 2| between the tongue and the sides of the notch is very close to the upper surface 22 of the slat. Thus the tongue or key I! engages the notch at a point close to itsbase, so that the maximum strength of the tongue is utilized.

It is also to be noted that while the interlocking key and slot prevent longitudinal shifting of the individual slats with respect to each other, ,these are so related to each other as to permit free pivotal movement of the slats within a wide range. The result is that the tongue is not apt to be broken or damaged due to pivotal movement of the slats, either as a result of the roll- .ing and unrolling of the awning or as a result of the effects of a high wind whipping the awning surface.

The tongue can be intentionally withdrawn "from the slot, however, to disengage the adjacent slats so that they may he slid longitudinally .to uncouple their hinging connection. By this expedient a damaged slat may be easily and conveniently replaced without the necessity of disassembling or reworking the entire awning.

In view of the above, it is believed apparent that the teachings of this disclosure disclose a novel and im roved means for interlocking articulated awning slats in a manner that is not only simple, waterproof and adapted to quick and easy assembly, but is also so inconspicuous as not to detract from the visual appearance of the device.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by United States Letters Patent is:

1. In a flexible awning, a plurality of articulated metal slats in parallel relation, with the lower ed e of each slat overhanging the upper ed e of the slat below it, and interlocking hinge mean on the op osite edges of said slats; saic' hin e means consisting of a downwardly and rearwardly curved inside coil on the lower edge of each slat extending into and substantially enclosed by an upwardly and forwardly curved outsi e coil on the upper edge of'the adioining slat; the exposed upper surface of each slat being imnerforate to the extreme lower edge of the slat but having a concealed notch on the inside coil of the interlocking hinge, and the outside coil of the hinge having a continuous edge encl ing said inside coil and having a projection spaced from the edge of the coil but extending into the concealed notch to prevent relative longitudinal movement of the slats.

2. In a flexible metal awning, an articulated curtain comprising a plurality of long narrow metal slats in parallel relation, each of said slats having a relatively flat center portion bounded on its lower edge by a downwardly, rearwardly and upwardly curved supporting hinge coil, and with the upper edge of each slat including an upwardly, forwardly and downwardly curved supported hinge coil; with the lower edge of each slat overhanging the upper edge of the slat below it and with said supported hinge coil having a continuous marginal edge throughout the length of the slat and engaging the aforementioned supporting hinge coil in sliding and swinging relationship; the flat center portion of each slat being imperforate on the exposed surfaces thereof, but having a concealed notch on the under surface of the supporting hinge coil; with a concealed aperture on the under side of each slat adjacent the upper edge of the flat center portion thereof and remote from the marginal edge of the supported hinge coil, and with an upstanding key integral with said slat bent upwardly at said aperture and extending into the concealed notch on the under surface of the supporting hinge coil of the next slat to limit relative movement between adjacent slats.

3. In a flexible metal awning, an articulated curtain comprising a plurality of long narrow metal slats in parallel relation, each of said slats havin a relatively fiat center portion bounded on its lower edge by a downwardly, rearwardly and upwardly curved supporting hinge coil, and with the upper edge of each slat including an upwardly, forwardly and downwardly curved supporting hinge coil; with the lower edge of each slat overhanging the upper edge of the slat below it and with said supported hinge coil having a continuous marginal edge throughout the length of the slat and engaging the aforementioned supporting hinge coil in sliding and swinging relationship; the fiat center portion of each slat being imperforate on the exposed surfaces thereof, but having a concealed notch on the under surface of the supporting hinge coil; with an upstanding key on each slat and remote from the edge of the coil thereof extending into the concealed notch on the under surface of the supporting hinge coil of the next slat to limit relative movement between adjacent slats.

HENRY W. TONEY.

REFEnENdEs CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,579,839 Raper Apr. 6, 1926 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 642,525 France May 5, 1928 

